GAA Player Injury Benefit Fund

Effective from 1st January 2020.

It is the player’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with ALL the terms and benefits of the GAA Injury Benefit Fund.

The full policy document & F.A.Q. document can be downloaded from the GAA website here.

The full policy document is 20 pages long so we have compressed some of the policy information for you below.

  1. GAA Injury Benefit Fund will only cover benefits which cannot be claimed elsewhere. 
  2. Injury must be notified immediately to club secretary.
  3. Claim must be made within 60 days of injury.
  4. Page number 6 of policy document explains fully all of the player injury benefits. The medical & dental benefits are listed below:

Medical Benefit

Otherwise unrecoverable inpatient* and outpatient* medical expenses are covered up to a maximum of €4,500.00 (This benefit includes cover for MRI scans up to a limit of €300.00 per scan and post-operative physiotherapy \ treatments up to a limit of €320.00) 

For the purposes of assessing claims under the GAA Injury Benefit fund, medical expenses* are defined as doctors’ fees, consultation fees, surgery fees, prescription charges, injection fees, MRI scans and post-operative treatments. The first €100.00 of each and every claim is excluded. Where a claimant* has private medical insurance and makes a successful claim for benefit in that benefit is paid via their private medical insurance policy, the €100 excess on each and every claim will not apply on the claimant’s claim. 

Please note that unrecoverable medical expenses will only covered up to two years after the Injury date. For example, if the injury date is the 01/02/2020, unrecoverable medical expenses associated with the injury sustained on that date will only be covered up to the 31/01/2022 

Cover for unrecoverable medical expenses applies to treatment only within the Island of Ireland 

Dental Benefit

Otherwise unrecoverable dental expenses up to a maximum of €4,500.00. The first €100.00 of each and every claim is excluded. Where a claimant* has private medical insurance and makes a successful claim for benefit in that benefit is paid via their private medical insurance policy, the €100 excess on each and every claim will not apply on the claimant’s claim. 

Please note that unrecoverable dental expenses will only covered up to two years after the Injury date. For example, if the injury date is the 01/02/2020, unrecoverable dental expenses associated with the injury sustained on that date will only be covered up to the 31/01/2022
Cover for unrecoverable dental expenses applies to treatment only within the Island of Ireland.

Policy General Information

  1. In accordance with instructions from Cumann Lúthchleas Gael all queries and correspondence relating to any claim must be made through the Club Secretary (and County Secretary) Injury Fund Administrator as appropriate and not directly with DWF Claims. 
  2. All payments in respect of claims will be made by DWF Claims through the appropriate affiliated unit by electronic transfer. No payments are issued directly by DWF Claims to claimants.
  3. Cover under the GAA Injury Benefit fund is provided on a per team basis so amalgamated teams need to be registered under whatever name they field under. 
  4. Girls may participate only up to and including Under 12 Grade. Once a girl turns 12 years old, they must register with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association or Cumann Camógaiochta 

Policy Exlusions & Limitations (This list is not exhaustive, please refer to full policy document):

  1. Claims reported more than 60 days after the Injury date.
  2. If a player returns to sport, it effectively ends their existing claim. 
  3. If a player returns to play after an injury and he is reinjured a new claim must be submitted 
  4. Medical and dental expenses that are less than the €100.00 excess* except where the claimant has received benefit via his or her Private Medical Insurance for treatment in respect of the Injury which is the subject of the GAA Injury Benefit Fund Claim. 
  5. Should a GAA Injury Benefit claim be reported for a claimant who is not registered or who is registered on the membership system after the date of injury, the claim will be declined. 
  6. There is no cover under the GAA Injury Benefit Fund for injuries sustained at unauthorised \ unofficial competitions, charity events, recreational activities and fundraisers.